Bethany Hamilton invited for CT at Slater's pool

The Surf Ranch Pro, the eighth stop, has already defined its female wildcard

July 19, 2018

The wildcard for the eighth stage of the women's CT, the Surf Ranch Pro, will be Hawaiian Bethany Hamilton, the WSL announced today in a press release.

Hamilton rose to fame after becoming one of the world's best surfers with only one arm; in October 2003, at the age of 13, she was attacked by a shark which caused her to lose her left arm. Despite this, she did not give up and won several world titles.

The tournament will be the first CT event to be held at Slater's wave pool, officially known as the Surf Ranch, and will take place from September 6-9.

According to the WSL statement, the athlete's performances in the ranch's waves have been sufficient reason for her to be invited.

“I’m really excited to compete at the Surf Ranch Pro. I love the idea of competing in a semi-controlled environment. It’s great to know what waves are going to come to me and to have a level playing field for everyone,” said Hamilton, who has made it to the semi-finals at other WSL events, including in Fiji in 2016.

The Hawaiian is the favourite for the championship; watching her surf in Slater's pool is a real spectacle.